SPEAKER_00: Today in the gospel we see a very beautiful scene.
SPEAKER_00: Why?
SPEAKER_00: Because it's not merely a conversation, it is restoration.
SPEAKER_00: Remember where Peter is standing, he's standing near a charcoal fire.
SPEAKER_00: That detail matters.
SPEAKER_00: Because the last time Peter stood near a charcoal fire was during the passion, when he denied Christ three times.
SPEAKER_00: I do not know that man.
SPEAKER_00: Three denials.
SPEAKER_00: Now Jesus asked three questions.
SPEAKER_00: Do you love me?
SPEAKER_00: One for every denial.
SPEAKER_00: This is how God heals.
SPEAKER_00: He goes back to the wound, to the root of the wound, not to shame us, but to restore us.
SPEAKER_00: And somebody needs to hear that today because many people think God works like the world.
SPEAKER_00: The world will tell you you failed, you're done, last chance.
SPEAKER_00: God says, let us begin again.
SPEAKER_00: Peter failed publicly, spectacularly.
SPEAKER_00: He denied Christ at the worst possible moment, and yet Jesus does not remove him.
SPEAKER_00: He restores him.
SPEAKER_00: He does not say, Peter, explain yourself, defend yourself, justify yourself.
SPEAKER_00: Why should I give you a more important role?
SPEAKER_00: No, he asks one question.
SPEAKER_00: Do you love me?
SPEAKER_00: Because in the end, Christianity is not first about performance, it's about relationship.
SPEAKER_00: Not are you perfect?
SPEAKER_00: Not did you never fail?
SPEAKER_00: Do you love me?
SPEAKER_00: And Peter answers beautifully, Lord, you know everything.
SPEAKER_00: In other words, you know my failures, you know my weaknesses, you know my wounds, and still you know I love you.
SPEAKER_00: That may be one of the most honest prayers we can pray.
SPEAKER_00: Lord, I am not perfect, but you know my heart.
SPEAKER_00: Then comes something very important and very Catholic.
SPEAKER_00: Jesus says, feed my lambs, tend my sheep, feed my sheep.
SPEAKER_00: Love immediately becomes mission.
SPEAKER_00: Jesus does not say, Peter, do you love me?
SPEAKER_00: Wonderful.
SPEAKER_00: Go have a private spiritual life.
SPEAKER_00: No.
SPEAKER_00: Love leads to service.
SPEAKER_00: Love leads to responsibility.
SPEAKER_00: Love leads to shepherding.
SPEAKER_00: Because authentic love always overflows.
SPEAKER_00: Then comes the hard part.
SPEAKER_00: Jesus tells Peter, When you were younger, you were you went where you wanted.
SPEAKER_00: But when you grow old, others will lead you where you do not want to go.
SPEAKER_00: The gospel tells us this refers to Peter's death.
SPEAKER_00: And this becomes a teaching moment for all of us.
SPEAKER_00: When we were young, we often think freedom means doing whatever we want.
SPEAKER_00: Christianity matures, maturity, Christian maturity teaches something different.
SPEAKER_00: Freedom is giving ourselves away.
SPEAKER_00: Peter spends his life moving from self-reliance to surrender, from I will never deny you to, Lord, you know everything.
SPEAKER_00: From controlling life to entrusting life, from fisherman to martyr.
SPEAKER_00: And notice the final words of Jesus, follow me.
SPEAKER_00: Not explain everything, not understand everything, follow me.
SPEAKER_00: Now look at the first reading.
SPEAKER_00: Festus is trying to explain Christianity to King Agrippa.
SPEAKER_00: And he almost sounds confused.
SPEAKER_00: He says the whole controversy seems to be about a certain Jesus who had died, but who Paul claimed was alive.
SPEAKER_00: It's an extraordinary sentence.
SPEAKER_00: That is Christianity.
SPEAKER_00: The world says Jesus died.
SPEAKER_00: The Christian says he lives.
SPEAKER_00: And because he lives, Peter can be restored.
SPEAKER_00: Because he lives, sinners can become saints.
SPEAKER_00: Because he lives, failures do not have the last word.
SPEAKER_00: Because he lives, death does not have the last word.
SPEAKER_00: Everything hangs on this.
SPEAKER_00: A certain Jesus who had died but is alive, that changes history.
SPEAKER_00: That changes Peter, that changes us.
SPEAKER_00: And maybe today Jesus is asking every one of us the same question he asked Peter.
SPEAKER_00: Not about theology, not about ministry, not about accomplishments, just this.
SPEAKER_00: Do you love me?
SPEAKER_00: And if our answer is yes, however imperfect, however wounded, however weak, then the response of Christ remains the same.
SPEAKER_00: Follow me.
SPEAKER_00: Because if we love him, we have to be on mission.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.